Area Code Overlay Approved for Suffolk County, New York

Residents and Businesses in Long Island Community Prepare for New 934 Area Code

NEW YORK – Residential, business and wireless customers within the existing 631 area code in Suffolk County, N.Y., should be preparing for the introduction next year of the new 934 area code.

To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the New York Public Service Commission ordered an area code overlay for the area currently served by 631. The new 934 area code will be “overlaid” or superimposed over the same geographical area as the 631 area code, starting July 16, 2016. The 631 area code currently serves all communities in Suffolk County.

To prepare for the new 934 area code, beginning July 18, 2015, customers may place a local call by dialing the customary 7 digits or by dialing 10 digits (area code + 7 digits). The option to place local calls using 7 digits will end June 18, 2016. Beginning June 18, 2016, all local calls must be placed using the 10-digit telephone number (631 or 934 plus the 7-digit local telephone number).

Beginning July 16, 2016, residents in Suffolk County requesting that Verizon provide new service, an additional line, or in some cases moving their service, may be assigned a number with the 934 area code.

The most important facts that consumers and businesses need to know about the upcoming 934 area code overlay are:

Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.

Starting June 18, 2016, callers will need to dial area code + telephone number for all local calls.

Callers will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all long distance calls.

What is a local call now will remain a local call.

The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.

For emergencies, callers still will dial just three digits to reach 911.

If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 are currently available in your community, those codes will still be dialed with just three digits

Customers should identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (area code + 7-digit telephone number), and include the area code when giving the number to their friends, family, business associates and business customers, and others.

Customers should ensure that all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment recognize the new 934 area code as a valid area code. Some examples are life safety systems and medical monitoring devices, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems or gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, text or mobile alert services, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions.

Things such as websites, business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and personal or pet ID tags should also be checked to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number.

As Fire Island residents and businesses gear up for the busy summer vacation season, more customers continue to sign up for Verizon’s innovative service, Voice Link, to stay in touch with loved ones and keep their businesses running.